As mentioned in my earlier blog post, we hung our visual work instructions above the work station for each operator resulting in no improvement to our process. The only positive impact was with our customers and some of our management on plant tours thinking they looked great. (another example of looking lean versus being lean).
Save yourself some time and effort, any standard work documentation does not need to be posted above the work station for lean manufacturing. Instead, keep a copy of your documentation accessible at the work station (at ground level). It could be placed in a binder, on a ring, or whatever works in your particular operation. The important thing is to keeping it handy not displayed.
Thanks to Mark Graban at the Lean Manufacturing Blog for stating this point in his comments to my earlier posting.
1 comment:
Save yourself some time and effort, any standard work documentation does not need to be posted above the work station for lean manufacturing.
I'm sorry but i would have to disagree, the reason for the work instructions is so that they are there when they are needed to be reviewed. Instructions that are up and in place means that they are easy to glance at as and when required. Instructions in a folder require you to remove that folder, find a place to hold it, leaf through it and then either memorise the instructions or carry out the instructions with one hand whilst the other holds the instructions.
The reason why you saw no benefit is because there was no need to refer to the instructions at that time.
(i'm months behind here but i've just caught on to reading through your interesting blog)
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